Patrol info for U-256
| Departure | Arrival / Fate | Duration | ||
| 28 Jul 1942 | Kiel | 3 Sep 1942 | Lorient | 38 days |
Commander | Officers * |
 Kptlt. Odo Loewe |
Daily positions, sinkings and allied attacks during the patrol of U-256
We have daily positions for all 38 days on this patrol.
Departure from Kiel on 28 Jul 1942.
29 Jul 1942 - 30 Jul 1942 - 31 Jul 1942 - 1 Aug 1942 - 2 Aug 1942 - 3 Aug 1942 - 4 Aug 1942 - 5 Aug 1942 - 6 Aug 1942 - 7 Aug 1942 - 8 Aug 1942 - 9 Aug 1942 - 10 Aug 1942 - 11 Aug 1942 - 12 Aug 1942 - 13 Aug 1942 - 14 Aug 1942 - 15 Aug 1942 - 16 Aug 1942 - 17 Aug 1942 - 18 Aug 1942 - 19 Aug 1942 - 20 Aug 1942 - 21 Aug 1942 - 22 Aug 1942 - 23 Aug 1942 - 24 Aug 1942 - 25 Aug 1942 - 26 Aug 1942 - 27 Aug 1942 - 28 Aug 1942 - 29 Aug 1942 - 30 Aug 1942 - 31 Aug 1942 - 1 Sep 1942 - 2 Sep 1942 -
Arrival at Lorient on 3 Sep 1942.
Wolfpack operations during this patrol
U-256 operated with the following Wolfpacks during this patrol
Steinbrinck (7 Aug 1942 - 11 Aug 1942)
Lohs (11 Aug 1942 - 25 Aug 1942)
Ships hit by U-256 during this patrol
General Events during this patrol
We have no events listed for this patrol.
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Attacks on U-256 during this patrol
25 Aug 1942
02.42 hrs, mid Atlantic south of Greenland: HNoMS Eglantine obtained a radar contact when she approached the survivors from the sunken Trolla astern of convoy ONS 122. She abandoned rescue operations to investigate the contact, which was U-256, which dived when the area was illuminated with star shells. At 02.47 hours, the corvette attempted to drop depth charges, but both throwers misfired and the trap jammed after only one had been dropped. This nonetheless proved accurate, and a leaking exhaust vent caused the stern-heavy U-boat to sink to a depth of 200m (656 ft). The corvette made two more runs, dropping eight and then ten depth charges, but had to return to the convoy at 02.58 hrs. U-256 managed to surface about 30 minutes later but was forced to break off the patrol due to the damage sustained. (Sources: ADM reports, KTB U-256)
2 Sep 1942
Aircraft attack, aircraft shot down:
British Whitley bomber Z9515 (77 Sqn RAF/H, pilot P/O A. Cassie)
08.30 hrs, Bay of Biscay: the Whitley (misidentified as a Wellington) strafed the inbound U-256 and dropped two or three bombs that fell some 15m (50ft) astern. The Germans observed flak hits on the cockpit and saw the aircraft fly off very low leaving a smoke trail. Its crew sent an SOS and probably ditched. The crew of five was lost. U-256 was badly damaged and limped into Lorient the next day; some damage to the deck was apparently caused by one of the aircraft propellers.
(Sources: Franks/Zimmerman)About this data
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See all patrols for U-256
* These are officers that later became commanders themselves.